Every task from acceptance to recording — 40 of them, in order, each with the deadline rule it runs on. Built for the Alabama REALTORS Residential Purchase Agreement. Free, no email required.
State
Alabama
26 states live — each one built on that state's own contract and deadline rules, not a renamed copy of this one.
Put your closing date in and get the real dates
Most checklists tell you "3 days before closing" and leave you to count. This one counts — business days, federal holidays, and the observed weekday when a holiday lands on a weekend.
Contract date
mm/dd/yyyy
Closing date
mm/dd/yyyy
40 tasks across 6 phases
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● Send accepted agreement to closing agent/attorney + lender
Distribute the fully accepted Purchase Agreement and all addenda to the closing agent/attorney, lender and listing agent. Note the Agreement Acceptance Date — every deadline in the form counts from the day after it.
Buyer's agent
1 day after the contract date
● Open file with closing agent/attorney
Confirm the closing agent/attorney has the agreement and has opened the file and ordered the title work.
Title / escrow
2 business days after the contract date
● Deliver earnest money
Earnest money goes to the broker or holder named in Paragraph 5(b), either on the Agreement Acceptance Date or by the Earnest Money Delivery Date. If the check is rejected or the money is late, Seller may cancel.
Buyer
On the earnest money due date
Confirm earnest money received
Buyer's agent
1 business day after the earnest money due date
● Deliver proof of funds to Seller
Cash purchase: the form requires proof of funds to Seller within 5 days (if the blank is left blank) of the Agreement Acceptance Date.
Buyer
5 days after the contract date
● Buyer applies for financing + delivers pre-approval letter
The form requires the loan application and a pre-approval letter within 5 days (if the blank is left blank) of the Agreement Acceptance Date.
Buyer
5 days after the contract date
● Confirm utilities are on for the inspection
Paragraph 9(b): the Inspection Period does NOT begin until the utilities are active at Seller's expense. Confirm this early — it moves the start of the clock, not just the appointment.
Listing agent
3 days after the contract date
● Schedule home inspection
Alabama is a caveat emptor state — the inspection is the buyer's protection, not a seller disclosure form. Book early in the Inspection Period, not at the end of it.
Buyer's agent
5 days before the inspection deadline
● Complete inspection + review report
Inspector
2 days before the inspection deadline
● Inspection Period ends
Default 14 days from the Agreement Acceptance Date (Paragraph 9(b)). Inspections must be done by now — but this is NOT the deadline to respond.
Buyer
On the inspection deadline
Order Wood Infestation Report (WIR)
If the agreement is contingent on a WIR, Paragraph 11(c): dated per lender guidelines, or within 45 days of closing if the lender has none.
Buyer's agent
30 days before closing
● Cancel or deliver written repair request (3 days after Inspection Period)
The second clock. Buyer has 3 days (if the blank is left blank) from the END of the Inspection Period to either cancel in writing or deliver a written repair request. Doing neither WAIVES the contingency and the buyer takes the property as-is — in a caveat emptor state, with no disclosure to fall back on.
Buyer's agent
3 days after the inspection deadline
Order survey
Optional contingency under Paragraph 11(d) — a survey by a registered Alabama land surveyor, at Buyer's expense unless negotiated otherwise.
Buyer's agent
21 days after the contract date
Lender orders appraisal
Lender
7 days after the contract date
● Appraisal received + reviewed
Paragraph 5(d): if the appraisal comes in below the purchase price, Buyer has 3 days (if blank) from learning the appraised value to cancel — with BOTH written notice and a copy of the appraisal or lender evidence. It is a short clock and it needs two documents, not one.
Appraiser
On the appraisal deadline
● Loan approval deadline
The financing contingency date from Paragraph 5(c).
Lender
On the loan contingency deadline
● Confirm clear to close from lender
Lender
3 business days before closing
Title commitment / prelim received
Title company issues the commitment / preliminary report.
Title / escrow
7 business days after the contract date
Request HOA documents + dues figures
Alabama has no statutory HOA resale-package deadline — whatever the association takes is what it takes, so order early.
Buyer's agent
10 days after the contract date
● Receive + review title work
Paragraph 14: Seller conveys good and merchantable title. Paragraph 6 gives Seller 30 days (if blank) to perfect title or cure defects — start the clock early enough that the cure period fits before closing.
Title / escrow
14 days after the contract date
Title review complete (Schedule B exceptions cleared)
Review the commitment; clear or resolve Schedule B exceptions.
Title / escrow
12 business days after the contract date
Payoffs / HOA demand received
Loan payoff(s) and HOA demand/estoppel received by escrow.
Title / escrow
7 business days before closing
Order home warranty
Paragraph 15: if requested, Buyer orders it, effective at closing, for one calendar year.
Paragraph 8: the closing agent/attorney cost is either split evenly or arranged by the parties, and whoever pays the full cost picks the closer. Confirm before figures go out.
Title / escrow
7 days before closing
CPL issued to lender
Closing Protection Letter issued to the lender.
Title / escrow
5 business days before closing
Bind homeowner's insurance
Buyer
5 days before closing
● Review Closing Disclosure (3-day rule)
Paragraph 6 also extends the Closing Date, up to 7 days, if lender funds are unavailable because of CFPB Closing Disclosure delivery timing — worth knowing before you promise a date.
Lender
3 business days before closing
Closing statement prepared & balanced
CD (financed) or ALTA settlement statement (cash) prepared and balanced.
Title / escrow
4 business days before closing
Clear to close received
Lender issues clear-to-close.
Lender
3 business days before closing
CD delivered (TRID 3-day clock started)
Closing Disclosure delivered to buyer — starts the TRID 3-business-day clock.
Title / escrow
3 business days before closing
Signing scheduled (notary / RON / in-office)
Closing appointment scheduled.
Title / escrow
2 business days before closing
● Final walk-through
Paragraph 12: confirm conditions are materially unchanged since the agreement.
Buyer's agent
1 day before closing
● Closing — sign + fund
Title / escrow
On closing
Funded (wire received & confirmed)
Funds wired and confirmed received by escrow.
Title / escrow
On closing
Confirm deed recorded
Title / escrow
1 business day after closing
Recorded (county confirmation)
Deed / mortgage recorded — county e-recording confirmation received.
Title / escrow
1 business day after closing
Deliver keys + possession
Paragraph 6: possession is at closing unless the parties wrote a different date — if it differs, a written occupancy agreement is recommended.
Buyer's agent
1 day after closing
Send closing documents to buyer
Buyer's agent
2 days after closing
Disbursed / policy issued / file closed
Proceeds disbursed, title policy issued, escrow file closed.
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